heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən  ˈhir- 

ˈhe-rə-

1

a

: a mythological or legendary woman often of divine descent having great strength or ability

b

: a woman admired and emulated for her achievements and qualities

American heroines such as Eleanor Roosevelt and Rosa Parks

remembered as the heroine of the flood

2

a

: the principal female character in a literary or dramatic work

the heroine of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet

b

: the central female figure in an event or period

Examples of heroine in a Sentence

The town remembered her as the heroine of the flood and erected a statue in her honor.

Recent Examples on the Web

More than masturbatory daydreams, Vladimir inspires our heroine to write with abandon, ignoring professional and personal obligations in service to her muse. —Alison Herman, Variety, 5 Mar. 2026

Based on the real-life heroine’s memoir from a few years earlier, the movie centered on an Iranian man who tricks his American wife into going to the country and traps her there, using their child as a hostage. —Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 5 Mar. 2026

Its first sentence makes clear that her heroine is alone in an isolated rural place. —Literary Hub, 3 Mar. 2026

In Lily King’s Writers & Lovers, the heroine, a writer named Casey, balances her struggle to complete a novel with a string of relationships that King writes with heat and specificity until they get consummated. —Lily Meyer, The Atlantic, 26 Feb. 2026

Word History

Etymology

Latin heroina, from Greek hērōinē, feminine of hērōs

First Known Use

1587, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for heroine

• heroin

Kids Definition

heroine

noun

her·​o·​ine ˈher-ə-wən 

1

: a woman in legends or myths who has great courage and daring

2

: a woman admired for her achievements and qualities

3

: the chief female figure in a literary work or in an event or period